Horse-protector



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

SAMUEL PARK HOD GEN, OF PITTSFIELD, ILLINOIS.

HORSE-PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,532, dated March 31, 1891.

Application filed m 8, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL PARK HODGEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Pike and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Protector for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to a protector for horses.

The objects of the invention are to provide a protector or cover for horses designed to protect them against flies, the rays of the sun, cold winds, rain, &c., said protector being of cheap and simple construction, adjustable to fit variously-sized horses, and easily applied and removed to and from the harness.

With the above general objects in view and other minor objects the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figu rel is a general View of a horse provided with a protector constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of the protector-frame indetail. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective,

showing the connection between the frame and the back-band; Fig. 4, a detail illustrating the connection between the hames and the frame. Fig. 5 is adetail in perspective of the bonnet-frame, and Fig. 6 a detail of one of the lateral cover-supporting ribs or arms.

Like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In practicing my invention I providea central back-brace or main section 1, preferably formed of light sheet metal and triangular in cross-section, though, if desired, the same may be of other convenient shape. By forming thesection of sheet metal and hollow I secure lightness with rigidity and strength. The brace l is in this instance formed in two sections, the rear section 2 being somewhat larger and adapted to receive the front section 3, so that said sections are adapted for contraction and expansion in accordance with the tossing of the horses head, as will be hereinafter apparent. The main central brace 1 extends from the saddle 4 of the harness rearwardly beyond the back strap and at intervals is provided upon its upper surface with a se ries of pairs of inwardly-disposed invertcd- L- shaped clips or lugs 5.

Serial No. 358,119. (No model.)

6 designates a laterally-disposed spring arm or loop formed of a single piece of springwire, the ends of which are brought together, bent into eyes 7, and hooked over the opposite ends. The hoop or loop thus formed is in this instance contracted at diametrically-opposite points and one introduced between each pair of clips 5, after which they are released, so as to be sprung under said clips and The rear spring-arm thus be held in position. 6 is provided with a rein-guard 8, which is simply a loop of wire projecting over the horses tail and designed to support the reins above the same and against any engagement by the tail during movements of the same.

Any means may be provided for securing the section 2 to the back-strap of the harness. In the present instance I provide a detachable clasp 9, which consists of a bottom plate 10, from which depends a T-lug l1. Diverging leaves or sides 12 project upwardly from the plate, and one of the'saine terminates in curved prongs 13. The opposite leaf has hinged, as at 13, a swinging fastening-plate 14, the free end of which is oppositely notched to fit bet ween the curved prongs 13, the edges of the slots being sprung oversaid prongs, as shown.

16 designates the shoulder-section or secondary brace, and it, like the section 1, is provided with a pair of clips 5, in which is mounted a spring-arm 6. The brace is also formed in sections similar to the brace 1, said sections being designated as the front section l7 and the rear section 18. The front section slides within the rear section and may be provided with aseries of adj Listing-openings 19, into any one of which is designed to take the spring-bolt 20, the rear end of which is secured to the rear section 18. The rear end of the secondary brace and the front end of the main brace are connected by the wire frame or link 21, the opposite ends of which are pivoted to the braces. This frame 21 is about opposite the checkrein-hook 22 of the harness.

25 designates the hame-sections of the harness, and each of said sections at its outer side and near its upper end is provided with a screw-eye 26. In the front end of the secondary brace there is rigidly secured a curved rectangular frame 27, which takes over the upper ends of the hame-sections and connects with the eyes 20, just mentioned, for which purpose the side bars of the frame are provided with offsets or bends 2S.

2.) designates a covering or guard,the same in plan being similar to an ordinary blanket and provided at its front with straps 30 for fastening over the breast of the animal.

31 designates the crown-strap of the bridle, which near its opposite ends is provided with a pair of inwardly-disposed clips 32. Sprung between the clips 32 is a spring-frame 33, provided at its ends with upwardly-disposed portions 234C, and over said portions is stretched an ordinary horse bonnet or covering 35. If desired, the bonnet may be a continuation of the protector of the back, or said protector may be provided with a neck portion 36, as shown by dotted lines in Fi 1, and removably connected with the bonnet.

It will be observed that the distance between the under side of the covering or protector and the back of the horse may be readily adjusted by a bending up or down of the protectorsupporting arms. In any movements of the horses head the section 3 of the main brace slides within the section 2 thereof, which latter, it will be observed, is rigidly connected with the harness. Any longitudinal adjustment of the entire frame is readily secured by removing the bolt 20 from any one of the series of openings 19 which it may 00- cupy and reinserting the same in a suitable opening of the series.

The extreme facility with which the device may be mounted upon or removed from the back of a horse may be at once recognized and appreciated, and also the usefulness of the device, which thoroughly protects the horse against all kinds of weather, keeping him cool in summer and warm in winter, and yet being spaced at such a distance from the animal as to permit of a thorough ventilation under the protection not secured by the ordinary horse blanket or covering.

In lieu of the covering shown I may form the same of a suitable fiy-netting, butprefer constructing said covering of a more closelywovcn material, and therefore better adapted for keeping out wet and cold and the rays of the sun. I also secure a clasp 9, similar to the one herein described, and illustrated in Fig. 3, to the back-strap, just in rear of the saddle, so that the main section 1 may be secured at two points.

In harnesses where the collars are omitted and breast-straps substituted I employ the imvardly-turned hooks, as in Fig. 4;.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a protectorof the class described, the combination, with a back-brace formed in sections, each of which is hollow, and one of said sections being adapted to slide within the other, of a series of pairs of clips secured D to the upper sides of the brace and a series of arms of spring-wire bent to form loops and sprung between each pair of clips, substantially as specified.

2. In a protector of the class described, the back-band of a harness, a central brace provided with proteetor-supporting arms, a protector mounted on the arms, and a clasp removably secured to the brace and to the said backband, substantially as specified.

3. In a protector of the class described, the combination, with a back-section and the shoulder-braces, each of said braces being formed of two sections telescopically connected, the front section of the shoulder brace being provided with perforations and the rear section with a bolt for taking into any one of said perforations, of a series of transverse arms, a protector or cover mounted on the arms, and a loose link connecting the ends of the braces, substantially as specified.

at. In a protector of the class described, the combination, with a pair of hame-sections having screw-eyes, of a central back-section adapted to be secured to the harness and provided with protector-supporting arms, a curved rectangular frame, the side bars of which are provided with offsets for cngagin g the eyes, and a cover supported by the arms and said rectangular frame, substantially as specified.

5. In a protector of the class described, the combination, with the main central brace, the secondary brace, the link connecting the two, and the arms projecting from said braces, of the crown-strap of the bridle, provided with opposite pairs of clips, a springwire frame mounted in the clips and having opposite upturned end portions forming a bonnetframe, a bonnet mounted on said frame, and a cover or protector mounted on the arms, substantially as specified.

6. The protector-brace provided with lateral supporting-arms, the cover mounted on the same, and the herein-described fastening device, the same consisting of the base-plate provided with the depending T-lug for connecting with the back-strap, the upwardlydiverging leaves, one of which terminates in curved prongs, and a leaf hinged to the opposite prong and oppositely notched and adapted to be sprung over and between said prongs, substantially as specified.

7. The back-strap of a harness, provided near its front and rear ends with clasps 9, the herein-described protector-frame, the same comprising a central longitudinal main section and a series of laterally-disposed arms 6, and the protector mounted over the arms, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL PARK W'itncsses:

ELI McCormick, R. IV. 1\[ELOA1\'.

IIODGEN.

IIO 

